Self-unloading train for bulk commodities

• US 4,925,356 A
• Filed: 01/09/1989
• Issued: 05/15/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edwin D. Snead, William B. Snead
• Original Assignee: Edwin D. Snead, William B. Snead
• Inventors: Snead, William B., Snead, Edwin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bucci, David A.
• Application Number:
  US07/296,346
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 414/339, 414/786, 414/343, 414/352, 414/353, 414/519, 414/520, 414/528, 414/502-505, 414/527, 198/311, 198/303, 198/816.2, 198/825, 198/829, 198/830, 198/317, 198/318, 104/2, 105/239
• US Class Current: 414/339
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 2203/032 with special use or configuration of conveyor belts
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 2203/038 detachable from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 27/02 Placing the ballast; Making ballastway; Redistributing ballasting material; Machines or devices therefor; Levelling means

Abstract

A unit train consisting of a plurality of hopper cars and a multi-purpose trailer car. The hoppers cars have one or more hoppers each having a bottom discharge opening and a controllable gate. An endless belt conveyor traverses the length of the train including a portion of the trailer car, and underlies the hopper discharge gates so that the hoppers may be emptied sequentially onto the train conveyor to unload the entire train. The trailer car includes a lift portion of the train conveyor to elevate the material for discharge onto a transfer conveyor carried on the trailer car. The elongated transfer conveyor is pivotally mounted at the receiving end to be swung laterally to discharge the material received from the train conveyor at some selected point relative to the trailer car. The trailer car may include the power systems and control systems for operating the conveyors and the hopper gates. The train is self-unloading by depositing the train load in a window alongside the track while the train is moving slowly. For unloading the train in a stationary position, the transfer conveyor may deposit the material onto a portable stacking conveyor which may then deposit the entire train load in one or more stock piles which may be 30 feet high and located some distance from the track.

Claims

1. A self-unloading train for the transfer of bulk commodities comprising:

a plurality of hopper cars coupled together to form a train, each of said hopper cars including at least one hopper having side walls inclined at least seventy degrees from the horizontal and nearly vertical end walls, and a bottom discharge opening having a width of least fifty percent of a distance between wheels of said hopper cars to effect discharge of all material from said opening by gravity;

a train conveyor comprising an endless belt supported on said cars underlying said hopper discharge openings to receive material discharged therefrom and extending a length of said plurality of hopper cars, said train conveyor having a width greater than the width of said discharge openings; and

gate means positioned at the discharge opening of said hoppers, said gate means being operable selectively to discharge material from said hopper onto said train conveyor.

2. A self-unloading as set forth in claim 1, said gate means comprising clam shell-type gates pivoted about axes parallel to said train conveyor to assist in controlling flow of material onto said train conveyor.

3. A self-unloading train as set forth in claim 1, said train including a trailer car, said train conveyor extending to said trailer car, and said trailer car supporting a lift portion of said train conveyor at a discharge end sufficiently high to discharge said material to a transfer conveyor.

4. A self-unloading train as set forth in claim 3, said transfer conveyor mounted on said trailer car for receiving material from said train conveyor and for discharging said material to selected points surrounding said trailer car.

5. A self-unloading train as set forth in claim 2, each of said clam shell-type gates being elongated, and having a long dimension parallel to said train conveyor less than a length of the top of said hopper.

6. A self-unloading train as set forth in claim 1, said discharge opening having a length comprising a substantial portion of a length of a top of said hopper.

7. A self-unloading train as set forth in claim 1, each of said hopper cars having a center sill, a return run of said conveyor belt being supported by split return idlers disposed alongside said center sill of said hopper cars, a supply run of said conveyor belt being supported by catenary troughing idlers disposed above said return run.

8. A self-unloading train as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

drive means for said train conveyor and said transfer conveyor for providing motive power to said train conveyor and said transfer conveyor, said drive means being mounted on said trailer car.

9. A self-unloading train as set forth in claim 8, said drive means comprising an electric drive motor connected to said conveyors, a generator for providing electric power to said drive motor, and an internal combustion engine for driving said generator.

10. A self-unloading train as set forth in claim 1, said train conveyor including means for taking up slack thereof during conveyor operation and for introducing slack to said belt conveyor to allow said train to negotiate curves during transit.

11. A self-unloading train as set forth in claim 1, said gate means comprising:

hydraulic power means for operation of said gate means, said hydraulic power means connected to said gate means; and

valving means for controlling opening and closing of said gate means, said valve means connected to said hydraulic power means.

12. A method of transporting bulk material by rail and unloading the same comprising the steps of:

loading bulk material having a particle size ratio of greater than 6 onto a train having a plurality of hopper cars, each having one or more hoppers, each of said hoppers having side walls inclined at least seventy degrees from the horizontal and nearly vertical end walls, said hoppers having a bottom discharge opening having a width at least fifty percent of a distance between wheels of said hopper cars;

transporting said bulk material to a remote location;

opening a discharge gate covering said bottom discharge opening such that said bulk material falls freely onto a train conveyor, said train conveyor underlying said hoppers and running a length of said hopper cars, said train conveyor having a width greater than the width of said discharge opening; and

conveying said bulk material from said bottom discharge opening to a location distal from said hopper cars on said train conveyor; and

discharging said bulk material from said train conveyor.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, including the step of:

controlling the operation of said discharge gates sequentially with respect to said discharge openings of said hoppers. percent of a distance between wheels of said hopper cars to effect discharge of all material from said opening by gravity;

a train conveyor comprising an endless belt supported on said cars underlying said hopper discharge openings to receive material discharged therefrom and extending a length of said plurality of hopper cars, said train conveyor having a width greater than the width of said discharge openings; and

gate means positioned at the discharge opening of said hoppers, said gate means being operable selectively to discharge material from said hopper onto said train conveyor.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of:

moving said train while discharging material from said train conveyor to produce a window of material paralleling a train track.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of:

discharging said bulk material from said train conveyor onto a stacking conveyor to produce a large pile of said bulk material distant from said train.

16. A hopper car for the transfer of bulk materials comprising:

a frame;

truck means mounted to said frame, said truck means for allowing movement along railroad tracks;

a plurality of hopper walls connected to said frame, said hopper walls being inclined at an angle of less than forty-five degrees to the vertical, said plurality of hopper walls defining a hopper discharge opening at the bottom of said walls;

said truck means comprising a plurality of wheels, said wheels positioned along opposite sides hopper car, said bottom discharge opening having a width at least fifty percent of a distance between said wheels on opposite sides of said hopper car;

gate means positioned at said hopper discharge opening, said gate means being operable selectively so as to allow the discharge of said bulk materials from within said hopper walls; and

conveying means supported in catenary fashion to said frame and underlying said hopper discharge opening and for transferring said bulk materials distal of said hopper discharge opening, said gate means opening parallel to said conveyor means.

17. The hopper car of claim 16, said hopper walls being inclined at an angle of greater than seventy degrees from the horizontal.

18. The hopper car of claim 17, said plurality of hopper walls comprising:

a pair of side hopper walls inclined by at least seventy degrees from the horizontal; and

a pair of end hopper walls inclined at a greater angle from the horizontal than said side hopper walls, said side hopper walls and said end hopper walls joined so as to form a generally rectangular configuration.

19. The hopper car of claim 16, said gate means comprising:

a clam shell-type gate pivotable about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of said hopper car, said clam shell-type gate for controlling flow of bulk material onto said conveyor means.

20. The hopper car of claim 19, said clam shell-type gate being elongated, said clam shell-type gate having a long dimension parallel to said train conveyor.

21. The hopper car of claim 20, said gate means further comprising:

a first clam shell-type gate rotatably mounted along one side of said hopper walls;

a second clam shell-type gate rotatably mounted along the opposite side of said hopper walls, said second claim shell-type gate in coordination with said first clam shell-type gate, said first clam shell-type gate and said second clam shell-type gate moving between a material retention position and a material discharge position; and

hydraulic control means connected to said first clam shell-type gate and to said second clam shell-type gate, said hydraulic control means for actuating the movement of said first and second claim shell-type gates between said material retention position and said material discharge position.

22. The hopper car of claim 21, said hydraulic control means comprising:

a first double-acting hydraulic cylinder connected to said first clam shell-type gate;

a second double-acting hydraulic cylinder connected to said second clam shell-type gate; and

a hydraulic control valve means hydraulically connected to said first and second double-acting hydraulic cylinders, said hydraulic control valve means for selectably actuating said first and second double-acting hydraulic cylinders.

23. The hopper car of claim 16, said discharge opening having a length greater than seventy percent of a length of a top of said hopper car.

24. A method of transporting bulk materials having a particle size ratio of greater than six, by a plurality of hopper cars on a rail system, said hopper cars having walls inclined at an angle greater than seventy degrees from the horizontal, said hopper cars having a bottom discharge opening with a width at least fifty percent of a distance between wheels of said hopper cars, said hopper cars having a tensionable conveyor system underlying said bottom discharge opening, said method comprising the steps of:

loading bulk material onto a train having said plurality of hopper cars, said loading occurring at a supply location;

removing a portion of the tension in said conveyor system;

moving said loaded bulk material along said rail system from said said supply location to a discharge location;

tensioning said conveyor system so as to remove slack in a conveyor belt within said conveyor system;

actuating said conveyor system such that said conveyor belt moves longitudinally beneath said bottom discharge openings of said hopper cars;

opening a discharge gate associated with said bottom discharge opening such that said bulk material drops through said bottom discharge opening onto said conveyor system; and

directing said bulk material by said conveyor system to a desired discharge location.

25. The method of claim 24, said step of opening said discharge gate comprising the step of:

opening a plurality of discharge gates sequentially with respect to said bottom discharge openings of said hopper cars.

26. The method of claim 24, said method further comprising:

coupling an end car to said hopper cars prior to the step of opening said discharge gate, said end car having a transfer conveyor connected thereto.

27. The method of claim 26, said step of directing said bulk material comprising:

conveying said bulk material to said end car by means of said conveyor system; and

conveying said bulk material by said transfer conveyor to selected points relative to said end car.